How to Install or Remove a Microwave Oven

Installing Cabinet Microwave

• 1

  Use a measuring tape to measure the length, width and height of the microwave appliance and the space where you wish to install it. The appliance must be at least 2 inches smaller in all dimensions to ensure it gets proper ventilation.

• 2

  Locate all vents on the microwave's top, back panel and sides. These vents must be free from obstacles where you install the microwave. During operation, the microwave must expel air and dust to operate properly.

• 3

  Search for an electrical outlet near the microwave space. Avoid powering the microwave through an extension cord. Use the pencil to draw a half-moon inside the cabinet if the cord must go through the cabinet's side panel to connect directly to an electrical outlet.

• 4

  Cut the half-moon design with a reciprocating saw and sand the inside of the hole with medium-grit sandpaper. Pull the microwave cord through the hole and adjust the microwave so all the vents are cleared from side panels and obstacles.

Installing Hanging Microwave

• 5

  Follow Steps 1 and 2 from Section 1, as the microwave's vents must be cleared of all obstacles when installed underneath cabinets.

• 6

  Remove all of the items from the cabinet above the area where you want to hang the microwave. Open the cabinet doors so you can see the bottom panel of the cabinet. Hold the hanging brackets up under the cabinet, and use the pencil to mark where the brackets line up with the cabinet bottom.

• 7

  Use the power drill and the drill bit to drill the required holes through the cabinet bottom that match the holes in the hanging bracket you're using. Some hanging brackets require two holes per corner, while others simply have one bolt per corner. Drill the holes required for the chosen bracket.

• 8

  Hold the bracket up to the holes and insert the bolts through the holes. Secure the bolts on the cabinet's bottom by screwing nuts onto the ends of the bolts inside the cabinet, using the wrench. Insert the microwave into the hanging bracket and plug it into the nearest wall outlet.

Cabinet Removal

• 9

  Turn off the microwave. Unplug the microwave from the grounded outlet. Pull the cord through any holes cut in the cabinet so the cord is next to the microwave.

• 10

  Slowly remove the microwave from the built-in microwave space in the pantry cabinet. Try not to drag the microwave on the cabinet surface, and avoid banging the sides against the cabinet's side panels.

• 11

  Use a damp cloth to wipe down the microwave's surfaces and sides. In addition, use the cloth to clean the vents, as dust and particles tend to get stuck in the vents when they are partially covered by cabinet panels. Repeat the installation steps in Section 1 if you plan on reinstalling the microwave in another space.

Hanging Frame Removal

• 12

  Unplug the microwave from the electrical outlet. Remove the microwave from the hanging frame. Repeat the cleaning procedure from Section 3 to ensure that the vents are clean and properly maintained.

• 13

  Use the wrench to remove the nuts holding the bolts in place. Place them aside. Push the bolts out from the holes that hold the microwave hanging frame in place. Remove the hanging frame from the bottom of the cabinet by pulling the bolts out slowly from the drill holes.

• 14

  Save the bolts and the nuts to install other kitchen tools and appliances if you plan to reuse the drill holes. Use wood putty to fill the holes, and smooth the surface with a putty knife if you do not plan to install anything else in the spot where the microwave was installed.